


more than five lifetimes

by meteoric_war



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Ichihime - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 18:49:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11087751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meteoric_war/pseuds/meteoric_war
Summary: because just five wouldn't be enough.





	1. rainy afternoon

They meet in a rainy afternoon.

He’s soaked –Oh god, of all days, how could he forget his umbrella? - in a bus stop, orange hair dripping against his forehead; a deep scowl adorning his face above intense chocolate-brown eyes, a white buttoned up shirt, worn out blue jeans and a pair of black chucks.

And she’s walking towards the same bus stop across the street, holding her purple umbrella above her head –oh, she would be so screwed if she didn’t- her gentle amber eyes directed at the ground and a silly smile on her face, her long hair in a bun at the top of her head, wearing a pink dress with black stockings under her yellow raincoat, plastic boots at her feet and jumping into the puddles.

She makes it to the other side of the street and looks at the figure at her side, a handsome boy drenched in freezing cold water and looking at the clouds with a deep frown like they were making fun of him.

She scurries beside him, without him realizing it, until she speaks.

“Are you okay?”

He’s dumbstruck and looks at her in disbelief, his ever-present scowl leaving his face and he struggles for a minute, until his brain finally makes contact with his mouth and suddenly, he’s speaking, too.

“Well, besides being drenched and freezing to my bones, I think I’m okay.”

He’s even more handsome without that scowl in his face, she thinks, and decides to try.

“Maybe, if you want, we can share my umbrella.”

He looks at her, raising his eyebrows, and she’s blushing as she finds the ground very interesting.

“Of course, if you don’t want to I wouldn’t feel offended, after all I’m a stranger in the street and I could be taking advantage of you and steal one of your kidneys, and give them to the little blue men in exchange for red bean paste…”

She peeks at him. He smiles at her, and she’s gaping as she thinks it’s the most wonderful thing she’s ever seen.

“Well, if it isn’t much of a trouble, I’d be glad to share it with you.”

She smiles, too, and it’s so bright he can’t help but comparing it to the warm summer sunlight on his skin. And so they wait under her umbrella until the bus arrives.

They hurry up into the bus and discover their houses aren’t that apart, so he escorts her to her door, thanks her and leaves.


	2. out of this world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurosaki Ichigo: July 15, 1992. 5'11½". 145 lbs. Biologist, specialized in astrobiology. Mission specialist.  
> Inoue Orihime. September 3, 1992. 5'2". 108 lbs. Botanist. Mission specialist.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) started operations years ago, and came up with the idea of leading experiments in Mars land, the first one being Nozomi, which didn’t reach Mars due to electrical failures. Time after, Nozomi 2 was launched and then it started. Now, JAXA, who already lead twelve non-tripulated successful missions to Mars, were dropping supplies in said planet to their future mission, the first tripulated one.

Amongst five hundred applicants, they chose a five people crew, the most suitable ones for their first tripulated mission to Mars, perfectly timing because of its alignment with Earth.

Kuchiki Rukia: January 14, 1990. 4'8½". 73 lbs. Mechanical engineer. Commander.

Abarai Renji: August 31, 1989. 6'2". 172 lbs. Aeronautical engineer. Pilot.

Ishida Uryū: November 6, 1992. 5'9½". 125 lbs. Doctor. Designed flight surgeon.

Kurosaki Ichigo: July 15, 1992. 5'11½". 145 lbs. Biologist, specialized in astrobiology. Mission specialist.

Inoue Orihime. September 3, 1992. 5'2". 108 lbs. Botanist. Mission specialist.

The last two, the mission specialists, unlike the other crew members, are going to stay there until the next alignment with Earth.

* * *

72 hours of preparations.

At T-10, they say goodbye to the people they hold dear, already wearing white and red astronaut uniforms.

Kuchiki Rukia is saying goodbye to her brother-in-law and her sister, Captain Kuchiki Byakuya and Kuchiki Hisana. After her, Abarai Renji smiles while he watches the scene, and said captain makes him promise he’ll look after her little sister.

Ishida Uryū gives a handshake to an equally stoic man with white hair, his father, a retired Doctor, Ishida Ryūken while his mother, Kanae, looks at him with concern in her features.

Kurosaki Ichigo kicks a man with black hair who tried to surprise him from behind, Kurosaki Isshin. Her mother, Kurosaki Masaki, smiles tenderly and stirs his hair. Her sisters, Kurosaki Karin and Kurosaki Yuzu hug him. His father sees them and smiles. He promises to come back.

Inoue Orihime, with teary eyes, hugs a thin man with brown hair and gentle brown eyes, Inoue Sora, who hugs her back gives her a pair of blue hibiscus hairpins as a gift.

They leave to the quarters to gather their things.

 At T-3, they depart to the launch pad and begin the entry into the orbiter.

* * *

They are in their respective seats when the launch countdown is about to start. Rukia and Renji on the front, Uryū in the middle, Ichigo and Orihime on the back.

Rukia grabs Renji’s hand and squeezes it, and gives him a little smile. Uryū is lost in his thoughts and Orihime is fidgeting. Ichigo, who is besides her, notices it and whispers.

“Why are you fidgeting so much?”

“I, um, am a little nervous.”

He grins at her.

“Don’t be. Everything will be okay.”

And she smiles at him, and it feels like warm sunlight on his skin.

The countdown starts, _ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one._

* * *

The first twenty travel days are uneventful, while everyone minds their own business.

Uryū and Ichigo are talking about trivial issues on the kitchen after a long episode of Rukia arguing with Ichigo and Renji, when Ichigo remembers the fifth crew member.

“Have you seen Inoue lately?”

Uryū stops sipping his coffee, puts the mug on the table and looks at him.

“Barely. She only goes out to pick up some food and comes back to her room quickly.”

* * *

On their twenty-fifth travel day, Rukia calls everyone to the lounge.

“So, I called you here to recall our plans.”

Ichigo rolls his eyes and looks at her in annoyance.

“And what are our plans?”

Rukia pulls out a sketchbook from _who knows where,_ puts it in the table and starts drawing. Orihime, who has been withdrawn during the travel, enters the room humming a song and stops at the sight of everyone. Then, she turns around and looks for a seat, besides Ichigo.

Rukia raises her head and looks at her.

“Inoue! I’m glad you could make it this time!”

Orihime smiles, and Ichigo gapes. Uryū clears his throat.

“Okay, okay. Well, when we reach Mars, everyone will have designated assignments.”

She shows the first page of her sketchbook. A bunny with long caramel hair, hazel eyes and blue hairclips wearing an astronaut suit watering plants.

“Inoue, you will analyze soil and start planting. Did you bring enough additives and stuff?”

She nods.

“Good. Ichigo will help you with that.”

Ichigo groans. Rukia turns the page, now there are two bunnies wearing astronaut suits too, one with red hair in a ponytail and a hammer in its hand, and another one with violet eyes and black hair with a wrench.

“Now, the next ones! Renji and I, because of being awesome, we’ll start building the camp for you guys.”

Renji grins and high-fives her. Uryū seems unimpressed. Ichigo says nothing and Orihime seems to be in another place.

The next one is a bunny with orange hair and a scowl, wearing an astronaut suit, using test tubes and goggles. Orihime lets out a giggle, Ichigo turns to face her and she blushes as she finds the floor very interesting.

“Ichigo will start immediately doing his weird astrobiology stuff after helping Inoue.”

And Rukia turns to the last page, an astronaut bunny with black hair and glasses and a head mirror looking annoyed.

“And Ishida, obviously, will play doctor.”

A vein throbs in Uryū’s temple.

“You know, the head mirror is obsolete, we don’t use it anymore.”

Rukia and Renji look at him with blank expressions. Ichigo decides to talk.

“Yeah, whatever. I’m leaving.”

* * *

On the thirtieth day, he’s wandering around as always when he finds her going out from the kitchen with some food on her hand. He waves lightly and she smiles and he’s returning the smile. He approaches her and walks beside her.

“So, it’s true. You only go out to gather some food and come back to your room quickly.”

She giggles.

“Yup. I have so much stuff to do!”

He looks at her wondering, and she notices.

“Oh, right! You haven’t been _there_. But you’re welcome to come with me! Of course, if you want to. I you don’t, I understand.”

“I’d be glad to.”

She smiles.

“Okay then, it’s settled! Tomorrow, when my hands aren’t full of food, I’ll look for you to take you there.”

And so she leaves, half walking-half running, with her hands full of food.

 

* * *

On the thirty-first day, just as she said, she looks out for him.

“Come with me! I’ll show you!”

She grabs his hand and guides him.

* * *

“Well, here it is. Welcome to my sanctuary.”

He’s about to ask about it until she opens the door and walks inside. Irises, daisies, gentians, lilies, orchids and periwinkles meet him. A cactus catches his attention, too, in the corner of the room. Every single one of them has its own pot, lightbulbs illuminating them. A big plastic tray under them catches the water, and a bag of apparently hand-made fertilizer in the floor beside it.

“So, this is why we don’t see you out there.”

She smiles softly at him.

“Yes.”

He steps inside and examines the room. A few books about botanical in a coffee table, a white loveseat, a brown recliner chair, a laptop and a music player in a desk, few coloring pencils strewn across the desk and a sketchbook.

“Do you mind?” He asks her, with the sketchbook on his hands. She shakes her head.

The flowers she has, all drawn and colored, and arrows pointing to their names.

“This is amazing, Inoue.”

He makes her smile again.

“Thank you.”

He rubs the back of his head, gives her the sketchbook and walks up to the door.

“Sorry for bothering you.”

She waves her hands in front of her and turns red as a tomato.

“No, no problem at all! Feel free to come back again!”

He grins at her and leaves.

* * *

On their fortieth travel day, Orihime knocks on Ichigo’s room’s door.

“Yeah?”

“Kurosaki-kun, it’s me. I was wondering if you could help me with something.”

She hears him walking to the door and opening it, his intense chocolate gaze on her.

“Tell me.”

She blushes.

“Well, I had a problem with the lightbulbs, I would do it myself but I can’t reach the installation. Can you help me?”

“Of course.”

This time, he leads the way.

* * *

On the forty-fifth travel day, she asks him to go to the sanctuary. He says nothing and follows her. She shows him her new draws; the man she was saying goodbye to, a pink teddy bear and a pair of blue hibiscus flowers.

“Amazing.”

She blushes.

* * *

On their fiftieth travel day, he follows her to her room after lunch. He enters it, lays down on her recliner and closes his eyes. She grabs her sketchbook and her black pencil and starts drawing him.

He opens one eye out of curiosity.

“Kurosaki-kun, don’t open your eyes! It’s important!”

He snorts, but does as she says. After a while, he falls asleep. When he wakes up, he’s alone, and the sketchbook is on the table. He takes a look at it and it mesmerizes him.

He lays the sketchbook on the table with a small grin on his face and goes out to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm too lazy to finish this one, and obviously i don't know about spaceships and astronauts, i'm an accountant :(

**Author's Note:**

> spring cleaning, i think.


End file.
